David Ronald Cross

Lieutenant David Ronald CROSS MC
16th Lancers

Date of birth: 18 October 1889
Date of death: 21 February 1915

Killed in action aged 25
Unknown grave

David Ronald was born at Craigiehall, near Cramond, Midlothian. the only son of Adam Cross, a member of the family of Alexander Cross and Son of Glasgow, seed & grain merchants and chemical manufacturers, and his wife Annie nee Guthrie.

He was educated at a Preparatory school at the Manor House Great Haseley, Thame, Oxfordshire, went on to Marlborough and up to Christ Church in 1908 taking his degree with honours.

He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant 16th Lancers on 16 August 1911 and promoted Lieutenant two years later. He was a rider to hounds, especially with the Pytchley Hunt and won various cups at regimental races at the Currah, Punchestown and at the Pytchley Point–to-points.
On the outbreak of war he went to France and was wounded in October. After recuperation in England, he returned to France and was killed in action near Ypres on 21 February 1915.
He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 20 October 1914 and, again, on 17 February 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross on February 18th 1915.
His Scottish Will was sealed in London, confirmed by his father.
His name is on Panel 5 at the Menin Gate Memorial and on the Memorial in Cramond Church, near Edinburgh.

CRAMOND The Cramond Parish war memorial was unveiled and dedicated at a special service in the Parish Church yesterday. All the ministers of the various churches in the parish took part in the service, and the preacher was the Rev. Dr J. Harry Miller, C.B.E. Mrs J. H. Davidson, sister-in-law of the Archbishop of Canterbury, unveiled the memorial, which consists of a stained glass window in five panels, a memorial brass with the names of the men (one hundred and five in number) who died in the Great War, and also a beautiful mosaic of Old Cramond Brig, with the figures of King James V. and Jock Howison in the foreground, and the motto "Forward without fear." The whole memorial was designed and executed by Mr Oscar Paterson, Glasgow.
The Scotsman, Monday 03 October 1921